Jim Boeheim and Norm Roberts would scoff at any assertion that the first league game of the season was a must-win. Let them scoff.

With the quality and depth of the Big East and the glaring questions facing both teams, neither Syracuse nor St. John’s would be well served by opening their league seasons with a loss.

The defensively challenged Orange (10-3) is trying to overcome the loss of guard Eric Devendorf, who suffered a season-ending knee injury on Dec. 15.

The offensively challenged Red Storm (6-5) are trying to bounce back from an ugly loss to Virginia Tech in the Aeropostale Holiday Festival.

Quite a way to start the league season in the Carrier Dome. Syracuse can score but can’t defend. St. John’s can defend but can’t score.

The Red Storm shot just 28 percent from the field, including 19 percent in the second half of a 54-48 loss to the Hokies. It was as inept an offensive performance as we’ve seen from St. John’s in years. When asked how to correct such ineptitude Roberts made it sound simple.

“I would say attack the basket and keep going and attack the basket, force fouls,” he said. “Screening better, making sure to pay attention to detail defensively. Those are things they are going to learn.”

That just might work against the Orange. Boeheim has been forced to use more man in addition to his trademark 2-3, but his young team may have a hard time stopping a snow plow with no chains and four blown tires.

“Last year we were a great defensive team,” Boeheim said earlier this season. “If we could have scored he would have won 25 games. This year we can score but we’re not even close to being a good team on defense.”

Since Devendorf, a poor defender, went down, the Orange have won four straight and its hard to determine if the defense has improved considering the opponents have been East Tennessee State, Colgate, Cornell and Northeastern.

The Red Storm, with its core of eight freshmen, will have an eye-opening experience in the dome. It’s hard to imagine the young Red Storm playing better offensively on the road than at home. Then again, it’s hard to imagine them playing worse.

“We are not going to get down,” said Roberts. “We are going to keep working, fight hard.”